Travelin' Soldier
by Raphi-girl
Summary: AU Where John lies about his age to go serve in 'Nam and meets Mary when he's 16. Major Character Death.
1. Chapter 1

_**Travelin' Soldier**_

_**Two days past eighteen,**_

_**He was waiting for the bus in his army greens,**_

_**Sat down in a booth in a cafe there,**_

_**Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair.**_

_**He's a little shy so she gives him a smile,**_

_**And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while,**_

_**And talking to me,**_

_**I'm feeling a little low.**_

_**She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go.**_

_**1970**_

John Eric Winchester was many things. Nervous. Scared.

Ready to do his country proud.

He was eighteen, at least he was on the enlistment form, and on his way to do good in the world. Be the All-American Hero he wanted to be.

_"Ya' daddy run off on ya' Mama, John-boy, an' you's lookin' to do the same?" _Grandpa Carl had spat at him two days ago_, "Well, ain't ya' just ya' daddy's son! No doubt ya' be pissin' ya' pants the second ya' land o'er there, ya' lil' shit!"_

John huffed as he slid into a booth and fiddled with the buttons on his standard utility shirt. He'd sure shown that old son of a bitch. He'd caught the first bus out of Normal and as soon as he got a bite to eat, he'd be catching the bus to a boot camp somewhere out on the west coast.

"Hi there! My name is Mary and I'll be taking your order. The special today is—"

Dear God in Heaven he'd just met an angel.

"Uh, sir? Hello?" the tiny blond girl inquired gently, reaching up to scratch at the green bow holding her hair back, "Sir, are you alright?"

John blushed a deep red and sputtered nervously, "Er, ah, yes, ma'am. Miss! Y-yes, miss. M'okay."

_Breathe, Johnny, breathe._

Mary smiled kindly at the nervous man, "Take a deep breath for me, tiger, and then tell me what you want. Look's to me that you'll be catching the nine o'clock bus to San Diego, so I'll make sure whatever you order is extra special!"

_Holy shit she just winked at me!_

"I, uh, a burger. Extra lettuce, tomato, and onion. A-and a cup of coffee." John stuttered dumbly, "Plenty of cream and sugar."

_"Ya' drink ya' fuckin' coffee like a fuckin' pussy!"_

John was about to wince and take back his order when Mary put a hand on his shoulder.

"Gotta say, I love a guy who likes it sweet!" she giggled, then turned to walk away.

"And anything you want if you, ah, wouldn't mind sittin' with me and talkin' for a little while."

_Holy fuck what the holy hell are you thinking John?!_

Mary grinned at John, "Tell you what, tiger. I'm off in an hour and I know a place we can go."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part Two**_

_**So they went down and they sat on the pier,**_

_**He said I bet you got a boyfriend, but I don't care,**_

_**I got no one to send a letter to,**_

_**Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?**_

Mary walked backwards so she could face John as she led the way, "John Eric Winchester. Damn, tiger, that's a mouth full."

"What? Your boyfriend got a better name?" John joked lamely, wrinkling his nose.

_ Please don't have a boyfriend. Please don't have a boyfriend. Please please please—_

"Nah. No one at school's worth the time of day anyway." Mary sniffed humorously, "Nobody likes a band geek anyway."

John gaped at her, "Band?"

"Yep! Jasper High Marching Band. Woodwind section." Mary gloated sarcastically.

"That's…actually kinda cool."

Mary stopped, smiled then grabbed John by the hand and started running, "C'mon, tiger. The lake isn't too far away now!"

As they ran through the sparse woods hand in hand, John contemplated his next move. A beautiful girl his age actually liked his for once, but he'd already made a commitment to his country. Figures he'd find his dream girl after enlisting.

The young couple soon reached an overgrown clearing and they slowed as the reached the edge of the dock. They sat down, still hand in hand, and dangled their feet above the water.

"Um…"

"I like to come here and sit sometimes." Mary interrupted as she stared out at the gentle waves, "My…my dad can be a real hard ass sometimes. The whole 'family business' thing. I don't wanna be another cookie-cutter mold that every damn Campbell has ever been though. I wanna do my own thing. Kinda like you, hm?"

"Ha, my own thing." John murmured, then cleared his throat, "Hey, Mary?"

"Yeah, John?"

The young man turned and held her hand with both of his, "I…I left home…on a bad note. A real bad note. My Grandpa Carl said I'd better die while I'm over there and…well, he might hurt Grammy Gertie if he caught her with somethin' of mine and my mom…Mama's so upset with me, she couldn't get out of bed and talk to me.

"I, uh, I guess what I'm tryin' to say, or ask really, is…um…would you mind if I sent a letter or two back here? To you?"

Mary placed her free hand on John's cheek, "Tiger, I better get more than just one or two."

_**I cried,**_

_**Never gonna hold the hand of another guy,**_

_**Too young for him they told her,**_

_**Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.**_

_**Our love will never end,**_

_**Waitin' for the soldier to come back again,**_

_**Never more to be alone when the letter said,**_

_**A soldier's coming home.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part Three**_

_**So the letters came from an army camp,**_

_**In California then Vietnam,**_

_**And he told her of his heart,**_

_**It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of.**_

_**He said when it's getting kinda rough over here,**_

_**I think of that day sittin' down at the pier,**_

_**And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile,**_

_**Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile.**_

_Dear Mary,_

_ The last time I sent a letter was almost two months ago and I'm so sorry! Things were kind of hectic for a little while here. I was moved from Camp Pendleton to Camp Evans in 'Nam so that's why._

_ I just wanted you to know that, when I come back, I'll be looking for you. Wait for me?_

_ You're what keeps me going when things get bad here. I just…I close my eyes and think back to sitting at the lake and I can just see your smile and your beautiful green eyes and you pretty hair and that cute little green bow you had in it and I swear, I can feel you with me._

_ I had to write to you this time because, well, I might not be able to write for a while. We're gonna move out in a few days and Sarge said he can smell Charlie in the air and wants us to be on our toes._

_ They just called out the five minute warning for lights out so I got to hurry up and finish. I'll try to get another letter out, I promise._

_I'm scared to say this and I shouldn't feel this way but I love you, Mary, and I can't wait until this damn war is over._

_ All my Love,_

_ John_

_P.S.: Send some of that love to my mom and Grammy Gertie, will you?_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part Four**_

_**One Friday night at a football game,**_

_**The Lord's Prayer said and the Anthem sang,**_

_**A man said folks would you bow your heads,**_

_**For a list of local Vietnam dead.**_

_**Crying all alone under the stands,**_

_**Was a piccolo player in the marching band,**_

_**And one name read but nobody really cared,**_

_**But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair.**_

The man Mary had come to know as her principal, Mr. Davis, (she'd started paying more attention to school official when they started giving update on Vietnam) stood at the podium. He cleared his throat.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with a heavy heart that I speak today. I have just received some devastating news." Mr. Davis cleared his throat again and spokes shakily, "Folks, if you could all bow your heads with me as I read from the list of local Vietnam dead, boys who went to school here, who went to work here, boys who went to church and sat next to us in the pew."

"Private Arthur David Adams."

"Staff Sergeant Martin Lance Chambers."

"Master Sergeant Calvin James Earp"

"Private First Class Alexander Wayne Grayson"

"Sergeant Patrick Seymour Jackson"

With each name read, sobs could be heard. Mother's who no longer had son. Father's who would soon bury their child. Sisters and brother's remembering a time when the never said "I'm sorry" or "I love you". Wives, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, whenever a name was read a loud burst of crying could be heard from the family. All except for one.

"Corporal John Eric Winchester."

When that one name was read, there was no burst of crying from the crowd, there were no screams. When that one name was read nobody really cared. Nobody, except that one young girl.

_** "NO!"**_

All alone, tears pouring down her cheeks, the thought of a world without her John hurting too much to bear, stood Mary. Hidden under the stands, where she had stopped after running away, she gasped for breath between sobs. She tore the bow from her hair and clenched it to her chest, wishing in some way she could reach inside and use it to hold her heart together.

"No, _John_, no…"

_**I cried,**_

_**Never gonna hold the hand of another guy,**_

_**Too young for him they told her,**_

_**Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.**_

_**Our love will never end,**_

_**Waitin' for the soldier to come back again,**_

_**Never more to be alone when the letter said,**_

_**A soldier's coming home.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part Five**_

_Ms. Millie Winchester,_

_ I know you don't know me, but I don't know you either, so I guess fair is fair._

_ Ms. Millie, I know it might hurt to think of your boy, but I knew John. He was a friend of mine. A very special friend._

_ I only met him that one day, but I felt like I'd known him a lifetime. Every letter I got, every pocket sized picture of him and his buddies in the infantry, ma'am he sent two copies every time, and he asked about you and Grammy Gertie every time. He hoped that you both were okay and doing well. He loved you both dearly._

_ John is dead, Ms. Millie, and I only got to start loving him._

_ They're sending his things, his uniform, flag, and medals, that is, back here to Lawrence. He'd want you to have something of his. I don't even mind if you want to take it all._

_ I've got his heart and that's all I need._

_ Condolences,_

_ Mary Campbell_

_**I cried,**_

_**Never gonna hold the hand of another guy,**_

_**Too young for him they told her,**_

_**Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier.**_

_**Our love will never end,**_

_**Waitin' for the soldier to come back again,**_

_**Never more to be alone when the letter said,**_

_**A soldier's coming home.**_


End file.
